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Treating Alcoholism
COUNSELING AND ASSISTANCE CENTER (CAAC)

Military Requirements for Petty Officer First Class
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practices and customs that encourage personnel to drink. Old naval customs encouraged members to drink excessive quantities of alcohol as a badge of courage or a mark of respect. Those customs also encouraged young sailors to engage in that practice to prove their adulthood and virility. Today’s Navy tries to develop customs contrary to those beliefs. It recognizes that an increasing tolerance for alcohol in large amounts is a positive symptom of alcoholism. Consequently, commands should emphasize drinking in moderation at such functions as ships’ parties and picnics, advancement celebrations, initiations, hail and fare well parties, and graduations. Commands should ensure functions that serve alcoholic beverages also offer nonalcoholic and low-calorie beverages for those who choose not to drink. Educational programs, as well as leadership and example set by officers and petty officers, are essential to changing attitudes about alcohol consumption. Helping Resources for Drug and Alcohol Problems Specialized alcoholism clinics and programs reach some of those in need of help. However, many more people with alcohol problems are already in contact with other agencies. Although those agencies are not primarily devoted to caring for alcoholics, they do or could offer important services to these persons. These agencies include hospitals, welfare agencies, family and community services, legal aid, employment, and other care-giving service organizations. General hospitals, for example, admit many alcoholics for conditions unrelated to alcoholism-or for alcohol-related problems covered by other diagnoses. Similarly, many patients in tuberculosis hospitals have alcohol problems. The prison system holds many men and women with drinking problems. An estimated 10 to 25 percent of welfare cases involve alcoholism. Recognition of the alcoholism problems of patients, clients, and inmates and referral to treatment resources would bring help to many more who need it. DEPARTMENT  OF THE NAVY PROGRAMS. –The Navy recognizes that drug and alcohol abuse is preventable and treatable through education, identification, counseling, and rehabilitation programs. These are cost-effective ways to retain personnel with potential for continued useful service but whose continued abuse would render them unfit. The Navy provides alcohol abuse prevention and rehabilitation programs on three levels. Level I. –Local command programs. These programs consist of both prevention and intervention efforts. The programs involve discipline, inspections, awareness education, leadership by positive role modeling, administrative screening, referral, and medical identification and intervention. The Navy Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program (NADSAP) is available at some local commands. Level II. –Counseling and Assistance Center (CAAC)  programs.  This  level  of  therapeutic nonresidential counseling and referral is designed for those personnel whose degree of abuse or denial requires attention beyond the capacity of Level I programs. This level maybe used for referral of persons to Level III and for persons waiting for space at a Level III facility. The length of the program at Level II is determined by the member’s commanding officer after recommendation from the local counseling staff. The maximum time allotted to a Level II counseling program, however, will not exceed 4 weeks in length. Programs at this level consist of clinical screening and referral at all program levels; therapeutic nonresidential counseling; outreach assistance; and education. Level III. –Residential  rehabilitation  programs. Residential rehabilitation is designed for those members who have been formally evaluated and diagnosed as alcohol dependent and who require rehabilitation on a full-time, live-in basis. They must, in the opinion of their commanding officers, show potential for continued naval service. Four Navy alcohol rehabilitation centers (NAVALREHCENs) and 27 naval hospital alcohol rehabilitation departments (ARDs) provide Level III care.  Residential  rehabilitation  involves  a multidisciplinary therapeutic approach that normally lasts 6 weeks. In general, persons may take part in Level I and II programs on more than one occasion, as long as they meet the basic criteria for admittance. However, they normally have only one opportunity per Navy career to take part in the Level III program. Sometimes the Navy may have a great investment in a person who has a relapse. In those cases, the commanding officer may recommend the person for a second period in the Level III program, not to exceed 3 weeks. For personnel to complete recovery following residential treatment, the Level II program recommends they abstain from alcohol and attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. The Navy views a person’s abuse of alcohol after residential treatment as a failure at rehabilitation or as a failure to complete an alcoholism treatment  program. 3-20







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